Aizawl (zoramobserver.com): Four days after Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla over the controversial ‘false affidavit’ issue, the Mizo National Front (MNF) also asked the Congress strongman to step down both as a legislator and as chief minister.

Lal Thanhawla has been accused by the opposition with concealing information a plot of land he allegedly purchased in Kolkata at the time of filing nomination for the 2013 Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters here, MNF general secretary MC Lalrinthanga alleged that Lal Thanhawla had concealed in his affidavit about the plot which is worth over Rs. 200 lakh.

MNF leaders hold a press conference in Aizawl on November 15, 2017.

“Recently it has come to our notice that the Chief Minister owned a land in Kolkata and is constructing a multi-storey building there. However, he concealed information about this in his affidavit while filing nomination for the 2013 assembly election,” he said.

“Had Lal Thanhawla furnished information about his land ownership in his affidavit, he would not have been elected and so was the Congress unlikely to form a government,” he added.

Lalrinthanga also alleged that the chief minister also owns a flat at RK Puram in New Delhi besides constructing a park at Falkland in Aizawl.

He wondered how Lal Thanhawla who claimed to have never misappropriate a single rupee could purchase land and a flat in metropolitan cities worth several lakhs.

“We asked the chief minister to clarify whether or not he misappropriated and use over Rs. 118, 08 crore, which was declared ‘lost’ from the state exchequer by the CAG report during 2012-2015, for purchasing a land and flat in metropolitan cities and constructing a park on the outskirts of Aizawl,” Lalrinthanga said.

“We are of the opinion that Lal Thanhawla should step down as a legislator for concealing the truth about his wealth. He should also apoligise to the people of Mizoram.”

BASELESS, SAYS CONGRESS

Meanwhile, the ruling Congress swiftly reacted to the allegation against the Chief Minister by backing him that he has not yet obtained full ownership of the said land in Kolkata while filing nomination for the 2013 Assembly election.

Congress’s media cell chairman James Thanghmingmawia told a press conference that the West Bengal government had offered plots to prominent citizens including film actors, sportspersons, IPS officers, High Court judges and few selected politicians in a satellite township-New Town on the outskirts of Kolkata in April 2013 under West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) chairman’s quota.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was among few selected politicians who had been offered land by the West Bengal government, he said.

Thanghmingmawia claimed that Lal Thanhawla had signed “Deed of Conveyance” with HIDCO on 30 August, 2013 and gained full ownership of the land only when he obtained mutation of land under New Town Kolkata Development Authority on July 25, 2014 which was much after the 2013 Assembly election.

“Had the Chief Minister mentioned about his ownership of land in his affidavit while filing nomination in 2013, it would have been “false affidavit’ as neither the land was not fully allotted to him nor he obtained full ownership before the 2013 Assembly election,” Thanghmingmawia said.

He also accused a Central government servant who made a Facebook post about Lal Thanhawla’s alleged concealment of land ownership in Kolkata, of attempting to mislead the people and defiling Lal Thanhawla’s reputation.

Co-Editor, Zoramobserver.com. Mr. Khojol is a journalist based in Aizawl, Mizoram. He writes for various national and regional media houses. In his free time, he can be caught reading books and watching movies.